Give Kids A Boost As School Starts

Education

August 8, 2001|By Joanne Mamenta, Sentinel Correspondent

A television commercial shows a jubilant father pushing a shopping cart through the store and tossing notebooks, crayons and pencils into the cart. Slowly following him are two gloomy-looking children with heads lowered. This back-to-school commercial reflects the range of emotions shared by parents and children as the new school year approaches.

To help you and your child prepare for the school year, some Lake County parents and educators offer their best approaches to helping your family get off to a good start:

HAVE A POSITIVE ATTITUDE

Be enthusiastic about the school year. If you're excited and confident, your child will be, too.

"One thing that I think is very important is that parents convey a very positive attitude about school to their children," said Jim Polk, assistant superintendent of curriculum for Lake County Schools. "If children think that school is a high priority for parents, it will be a high priority for them. Conversely, if negative statements are made in front of children about school and teachers, children will have those same beliefs.

"I suggest that before school starts that parents sit down with their children to reinforce how important it is that they do well and that they enjoy school. Emphasize that learning is fun and that learning is important. Many times, there is a direct correlation between a child's attitude about school and [the] child's success in school."

VISIT THE SCHOOL

If your child is starting a new school, parents recommend visiting the school in advance. If possible, walk the halls and find your child's homeroom class. Your child will feel more comfortable on the first day.

"We took our 9-year-old to his school, and he got to meet the band director and blow on a trumpet. He wants to be in the band," said Floyd Fincher of Eustis. He and his wife, Lucy, have three school-age children in private schools. "By visiting the school, it really creates an excitement about school."

IRON OUT TRANSPORTATION

If there are a couple of children in the neighborhood going to the same school or participating in the same after-school activities, form a carpool. That's what the Glascock family of Clermont has done with neighborhood parents.

"We're going to carpool with some of Kyle's friends, and in the evening, his coach will bring him home from football practice. With two little ones at home and Kyle's football practices from 6 to 8:30 p.m., that was going to be stressful trying to get the other kids bathed and to bed," said Susie Glascock, who with her husband, William, has three children -- two of whom attend Lake County public schools.

For children who walk to school, parents recommend drawing a map of the route the child will take, including street signs as well as familiar landmarks.

THE NIGHT BEFORE

"Prepping the night before is the key," Glascock said.

"Clothes are laid out. Lunches are packed. The backpacks are hanging on hooks in the laundry room. All my little one has to do is add a juice box to his backpack."

In addition, Glascock is creating a picture checklist for her prekindergarten son, J.P. It will have cutout pictures of clothes, socks, shoes and breakfast to help her son get through the morning routine.

In the Fincher family, all of the children attend schools with strict dress codes, so getting ready in the morning is easier.

"I think all schools should have uniforms. It's a lot easier and [involves] a lot less arguing about what they're wearing," Floyd Fincher said.

PHOTOGRAPH THE MOMENT

Glascock creates photo albums of her children, and the first-day-of-school photo is displayed prominently.

"I take pictures of them in front of their school. But when they get to junior-high-school age, they're embarrassed with Mom and her camera, so I take my son down to the school a week in advance to quickly take his picture in front of the school. You can still capture that memory."

TALK TO TEACHERS

With e-mail, teachers are able to communicate with parents more frequently. And most schools set up an open house or meet-the-teacher night within the first quarter. The Glascocks go further and make an appointment with their older son's team of teachers two or three weeks into the school year.

"We just ask for about 10 minutes of their time to share a little bit about our son. My deal is, teachers in lower grades see the parents all the time, but in junior high, you lose that contact. And at this age, the child is not a good communicator source. I want the teachers to know that we're involved," said Glascock, a former kindergarten teacher. She takes along baked goods to help ease any anxieties the teachers might have about meeting parents so soon.

Last year, the team leader from Kyle Glascock's class at Windy Hill Middle School sent weekly e-mails to parents with updates about their children and classroom activities.

"We had a great year because of that," Glascock said.

Finally, Glascock offers her wisdom from both a teacher's and parent's perspective: "The two biggest things for parents are to be flexible and to keep the lines of communication open with the teachers."